08/25, 10:40pm

Former slide head to leave Google

Google is reportedly set to shutter Slide, the social app developer that was acquired by the search giant just last year. The startup had continued to develop new apps after it was purchased, leading to the recent release of a new photo-sharing service, Photovine, that raised eyebrows when it was released on the iOS App Store without an equivalent launch on the Android Market.

07/12, 4:40pm

Google Photovine site up, not yet accessible

The Photovine website went live on Tuesday, but is not yet ready for uploading. The site, the name of which Google trademarked in June, appears to be a photo sharing network run by the search giant. A teaser on the site simply states that it's a "fun way to learn more about your friends, meet new people, and share your world like never before."

06/30, 7:50pm

Pool Party may be official Android photo app

Google's team from the Slide acquisition has been quietly developing an app that would be an official Android rival to normally iOS-only apps like Instagram. Currently in an invite-only beta, Pool Party (Android Market) will show friends' latest photos in a timeline like other photo sharing apps, making it a direct competitor to existing Android apps like Picplz. The Google-made variant would stand out mostly by grouping photos into events where others could contribute their shots.